Читать книгу Salivary Gland Pathology - Группа авторов - Страница 56

Anatomic and functional diagnostic imaging plays a central role in modern medicine. Virtually all specialties of medicine to varying degrees depend on diagnostic imaging for diagnosis, therapy, and follow‐up of treatment. Because of the complexity of the anatomy, treatment of diseases of the head and neck, including those of the salivary glands, is particularly dependent on quality medical imaging and interpretation. Medical diagnostic imaging consists of two major categories, anatomic and functional. The anatomic imaging modalities include computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US). Although occasionally obtained, plain film radiography for the head and neck, including salivary gland disease, is mostly of historical interest. In a similar manner, the use of sialography is significantly reduced, although both plain films and sialography are of some use in imaging sialoliths. Functional diagnostic imaging techniques include planar scintigraphy, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), all of which are promising technologies. Recently, the use of a combined anatomic and functional modality in the form of PET/CT has proved invaluable in head and neck imaging. Previously widely employed procedures including gallium radionuclide imaging are less important today than in the past.